Piano-action.



No. 768,784. PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904. J. L. WILSON.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a, 1903. no MODEL.

4 ATTORNEY Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT @EETCE.

JOSEPH L. IVILSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,784, dated August30, 1904.

Application filed April 28, 1903.

To all 1071 0772, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH L. VILSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPiano-Actions; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos, and properly to a keypivot or fulcrum; and some of the objects of the invention are toprovide a device of this general character which Will be simple inconstruction and positive and effective in operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a key pivot orfulcrum so constructed as to take up the lateral play or looseness ofthe key and also to prevent any longitudinal motion of the key.

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide an adjustablepivot or fulcrum by means of which the key may be adjusted readily andaccurately in relation to the balance-rail for the purpose of increasingor decreasing the stroke or the distance between the end of the key andthe front rail.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists,essentially, in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,substantially as more fully described in the following specification andas illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portionof a piano-key and balancerail, partly. broken away to better illustratethe invention and its application thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofa portion of a piano-key and balance-rail; and Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. 1, illustrating a modified form of construction.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the constructionillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, reference character 1 designates aSerial No. 154,689. (No model.)

portion of the key-bed, whereon is formed or secured a balance-rail 2,and in the balancerail is secured the reduced portion or end 3 of anelliptical pin or device 4, constructed to enter an oblong or ellipticalopening in a piano-key 5, and sufiicient play or looseness is desirablyallowed the pin 1 in the opening 5 in thepiano-key to permit of theoperation or movement of the latter, and by means of this constructionthe lateral or rolling movement of the key can be taken up or preventedby merely -turning the oblong pin device 4 more or less across orobliquely of the slot 5, which can be accomplished by means of the notchor recess7 in the end of thepin withoutinterfering with the operation ortouch of the key, as will be readily understood by those skilled in theart to which this invention appertains. It is well known that the keysof pianos become loose and roll from wear of the pivot-pin in the key,and by this simple means the lateral movement or roll of the key isprevented without detriment to the efiiciency of the action and in avery cheap manner. A pivotpin 8 is provided with screw-threads and isscrewed into the key 5, so as to provide for the adjustment thereof inrelation to the balance-rail for the purpose of increasing anddecreasing the stroke of the key or the distance between the end of thekey and the front rail, this adjustment being accomplished by rotatingthe pivot-pin 8 in the key, as will be readily understood. The pivot-pin8 is preferably provided with a collar or washer 10, constructed to bearupon the balance-rail, and beyond said collar the pin is extended toform a conical point or end 9, adapted to removably enter an opening orbearing 11 in the balance-rail, essentially as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, and this pivot-pin constitutes the pivot or fulcrum of thepiano-key and prevents any longitudinal motion thereof, while the keycan be readily withdrawn by removing the back-stop wire, (not shown,)which is held in position by the usual set of screws, (not shown,)without removing the rail or other parts of the action.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thepivot-pin 12 therein shown is shorter than the pivot-pin 8 and issecured in the plate or cushion 2 and into the balance-rail 1, or eitheralone, and is provided with a Washer 10, above which pivotpin 12 extendsinto a recess 13 in the edge of the piano-key, whereby the latter ispermitted to move on said pin as a fulcrum or pivot, while thelongitudinal motion of the key is prevented, and the lateral motion orroll of the key is taken up by means of the construction hereinbeforedescribed and shown.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and further explanation thereof will not be required.

It is not desired to limit or confine this invention to the specificconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein shown anddescribed, and the right is reserved to make all such changes in andmodifications of the same as come Within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim- 1. A piano-key provided with a pivot having adjustableconnection therewith and a device engaging said key to prevent the rollthereof.

2. A piano-key provided with a pivot having a screw-threaded connectiontherewith.

3. A piano-key provided with an oblong opening, an oblong pin in saidopening constructed to be turned therein to prevent the roll of the keyand a pivot-pin adjustably mounted in said key to regulate the movementthereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, this 14th day of April, 1903.

JOSEPH L. WILSON.

l/Vitnesses:

BEATRICE lVILKINs, MIeNoN FORD.

